The Monster of Hachinosu

New World, Hachinosu—Beehive Island.

Ever since the Rocks Pirates had formed and made this place their base, Beehive Island had become an island of pirates.

In the southeast of the island, inside a tavern, a towering man with two horns growing from his head sat before the bar.

He held a massive barrel of liquor in one hand and a Spiked Club in the other. Quite a few people lay around him, and judging by their wounds and the bloodstains on the Spiked Club, the man before them was the culprit.

In addition, more than a dozen people wielding all kinds of weapons had surrounded him. The fight clearly was not over yet.

Such things were common on Beehive Island. With so many pirates using it as their base, there was a certain order on the island, but pirates attacking and slaughtering one another was also an everyday occurrence.

Fights breaking out over a single disagreement were everywhere.

The little girl tending the bar seemed used to such scenes. She merely silently wiped the cup in her hands.

Her skin was smooth, and she wore a one-piece swimsuit, but her complexion was unusual—a pale green unlike that of ordinary people.

Her pupils were red, her ears resembled fish fins, and fin-like structures protruded from her elbows. Her aqua-blue hair was tied into a ponytail that hung behind her.

At that moment, she held a little notebook and recorded the damaged items in it.

"Kaido, you're paying for everything you broke."

The horned man was Kaido of the Beasts Pirates, the future Four Emperors known as the strongest creature on land, sea, and air.

He appeared thoroughly drunk now. At the mention of compensation, his voice even carried a hint of sorrow.

"Why? They were obviously the ones who started it. Why am I the one who has to pay in the end...?"

Kaido looked incredibly aggrieved, as if tears might fall at any moment. Anyone familiar with him would know that Kaido was already drunk.

Drunk Kaido and sober Kaido were practically two different people. Once drunk, his emotions became unusually abundant. He could be sorrowful, clingy, capable of anything, and impossible to predict.

"Hmph, if you beat all these guys to death, then of course you'll be the only one left to pay!"

"Worororo!! That's true. Looking at it that way, I really do have to pay for it..."

Not a trace of his earlier sadness remained in Kaido's laughter. Instead, it was full of delight, as if he found her words perfectly reasonable.

After tilting back his head and draining the barrel, Kaido casually tossed it aside, smashing it to pieces. The girl added another entry to the bill.

As Kaido rose again with his Spiked Club in hand, the surrounding pirates tightened their grips on their weapons.

Yet neither Kaido, who had been told to pay, nor the pirates, whom the girl had judged incapable of beating Kaido, showed the girl any hostility.

"Kaido, you bastard! If you've got the guts, step away from the bar!"

The surrounding pirates seemed to fear something and had not dared attack Kaido while he stood there. Kaido said nothing, merely rising to his feet and taking a fighting stance.

As the brawl began, the tavern instantly filled with chaos.

"Thunder... Bagua!"

Kaido swung his Spiked Club forward. The pirate closest to him was sent flying like a ragged scrap of cloth, crashing through another table nearby.

"You bastard, where are you aiming?!"

"Get him! Kill that guy!"

"Don't lose, Kaido! I bet all my money on you!"

The sounds of battle, shattered furniture, and the cheers of spectators eager for more chaos all mingled together, making the place deafeningly noisy.

Meanwhile, the little girl remained calmly seated behind the bar, recording her accounts.

"Hey, hey, hey! That table has sentimental value! Extra charge! Seven chairs, twenty-eight wine glasses, the floor..."

But just then, the tavern doors suddenly opened, and a man over three meters tall walked in.

He had long black hair and wore a blood-red robe. Overall, he looked no different from a human.

His pupils were red as well, tinged with indifference, though when he saw certain people, a hint of gentleness appeared in his eyes.

The instant he arrived, the tavern fell silent. Only Kaido's battle continued.

"Gulp..."

The pirates who had been watching no longer cheered. They merely swallowed nervously and even patted the companions beside them, telling them not to draw so much attention.

"What is it?"

"What are your eyes for? Can't you see Nereus is here?!"

There was obvious fear in his gaze toward the door, as though he knew exactly how terrifying the newcomer was. The person beside him seemed more like a rookie who did not yet understand this place.

"The last time he fought Rocks, they fought for seven days and seven nights without a winner. If they hadn't merely been sparring, they might have sunk all of Beehive Island. He's a genuine... monster..."

Those words made the rookie pirate fully understand just what kind of strength the man possessed. He immediately backed away obediently, unwilling to invite trouble.

"Afternoon, Brother Nereus."

"Daddy, you're here~"

A simple-looking giant at the tavern entrance greeted Nereus, while the little girl behind the bar waved toward him as well.

The man called Nereus was the reason those pirates dared not show the girl any hostility.

Nereus was a transmigrator. He looked like an ordinary human, after all, being over three meters tall was hardly unusual on these seas.

But he was of the Fishman Race. Looking very much like a human was also one of the Fishman Race's traits.

Their appearances varied greatly. Some had obvious fish-like features, such as Arlong and his kind.

But they were still a Demi-human Race, and some of them showed no such traits at all.

In the original timeline, Jack and Sasaki of the Beasts Pirates were examples. Both were Fish-Men, yet they possessed almost no Fish-Man characteristics. Nereus was one of the latter.

"Nanamo, it was right to record the value of the damaged items, but why didn't you make them fight outside?"

Nanamo was the girl behind the bar. Hearing Nereus's question, she hid the little notebook behind her back, seemingly unsure how to explain herself.

Nereus did not dwell on the matter, instead turning his attention to Kaido, who was still fighting nearby.

The pirates on Beehive Island came from every walk of life. Although Kaido had not yet fully matured, dealing with these people was not difficult. By the time Nereus arrived, not many were still standing.

During the fight, Kaido seemed to grow even more excited. He casually grabbed a jug from the shelf and drank from it, the drunkenness on his face becoming even heavier.

"Burp~ Nereus... you're here? Want to have a drink?"

Though he spoke of drinking, Kaido hurled the jug in his hand at the last pirate still standing. Blood mixed with liquor flowed across the floor, adding more filth to the tavern's floorboards.

"Tch, did you forget what I told you... Don't cause trouble on my turf!"

No one could see Nereus's movements clearly. In an instant, he appeared beside Kaido and lightly placed one hand on him.

Cold sweat instantly appeared on the forehead of Kaido, who had just been cutting through everyone in his path. The drunkenness in him seemed to fade considerably.

"Nereus..."

Boom!

Nereus did not wait for Kaido to finish. Instead, he gave him a physical sobering-up in his own way.

Kaido's huge body was slammed to the ground, his head nearly embedded in the floor.

Nereus then walked over to Nanamo and held out his hand, signaling for her to hand over the notebook.

"Nereus... those guys... were the ones who started it..."

Before long, Kaido sat up while rubbing his head and explained what had happened to Nereus.

"Did you think I would only help you 'sober up'? Restore the tavern to how it was, or else..."

"Daddy, he's too clumsy to do it properly. Wouldn't it be better to just make him pay...?"

Nereus lightly tapped Nanamo twice on the head with the notebook. Looking at Nanamo, who crouched beside him with her hands over her head and pretended it hurt terribly, he spoke sternly.

"Do you think I don't know how much these things cost? Where exactly did you plan to put all this extra money you charged?"

The prices in Nanamo's notebook were clearly higher than the items' actual value. If Kaido truly paid as Nanamo had said, there would obviously be some money left over.

Well, if things were not repaired, where would the money come from? Fix the roads twice, and the money would naturally appear.

"My allowance isn't enough..."

"If it isn't enough, tell me. Don't play these little tricks."

Nereus put away the notebook, then tossed a wallet to Nanamo.

"I remember you arranged to meet Katakuri and the others this afternoon. It's almost time. Go have fun."

Nanamo counted the bills in the wallet, raised her hand to make a heart gesture, then flipped over the bar and left the tavern. A large man beside Nereus silently followed her.

This was a pirate island after all. Although certain rules existed for various reasons, it was still not reassuring enough to let a child run around outside alone.

It was fine on their own turf, but when going out, it was best to have someone by her side.